


Keeper, Winger, Striker, Spy

by thefutureisequalaf



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F, Spies & Secret Agents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-02 07:59:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11505060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefutureisequalaf/pseuds/thefutureisequalaf
Summary: An away international friendly. A performance-enhancing drug. A hidden agenda.The clock is ticking.





	1. Chapter 1

_CIA Headquarters, Langley, Virginia_

The black phone rang. “Yes?”

_“Director, turn on CNN.”_

“Nothing good ever follows that.”

_*Click* “…team delayed long enough for the Russian Anti-Doping Agency to collect urine samples from each player. If you’re just joining us, US Women’s National Team goalkeeper Hope Solo is being held by Russian customs authorities. They report finding performance-enhancing drugs in her checked luggage. We don’t know at this time what those drugs are or whether any members of the team have tested positive for them. Prior to the London 2012 Olympics, Solo tested positive for-” *Click*_

“What's this about 2012?”

_“We checked, it was just a misunderstanding between Solo and her prescribing physician. There's no reason to think that she isn't clean, but she's seen as a lightning rod for controversy. We need to prepare for the possibility that this is a set-up.”_

“Okay, I’ll inform State. Keep me posted.” She put down the black phone and lifted the white phone. “I need the Secretary of State. It's urgent.”

Half a minute later, on the other side of the Potomac River, a man answered. _“An urgent call from the Director of Central Intelligence? Nothing good ever follows that.”_

“I wish I could argue, Mr. Secretary. We may have a situation brewing…”

* * *

_Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow, Russia_

_“I have_ no fucking idea _how that shit got in my bag.”_

_“Please, Ms. Solo. Crude and negative do not sound good for role model, no?”_

_“Yeah, you're right. I have_ positively _no fucking idea how that shit got in my bag. Hell, I’m not sure I believe that you found that shit in my bag!”_

_“When did you start doping?”_

_“Those aren’t mine and I didn’t put them in my luggage! Or anywhere!”_

Alex Morgan sat and listened. She didn’t have a choice about either act; her left wrist was handcuffed to her chair, while the live – ostensibly – audio from Hope's interrogation came through a speaker in the ceiling.

 _“Best laboratory in_ Rossiya _is checking your vials for fingerprints. Will have chemical analysis of contents by end of day. Why waste time on denial?”_

_“I want my lawyer.”_

_“From United States? For what? He would not know our system.”_

_“But_ I _don't trust you or anyone else here. Get me a damn phone call.”_

Alex gritted her teeth. _The consulate, Hope!_ She tried to broadcast the idea by pure will. _Refuse to talk until you see a consul._

_“I cannot do that.”_

_“Alright, then I can't cooperate.”_

_“That would not be wise, Ms. Solo. The judge will remember your cooperation at your sentencing.”_

A long, tense silence ensued. _That’s my girl,_ Alex thought. _Don't say another word to them._

_“What is it you Americans say? ‘Have it your way'.”_

The sound came of a heavy door closing, and then an electronic _pop_ , and then the door to Alex's room opened. The man who stepped through it wore a police uniform, but no name badge. He laid a folder on the desk in front of Alex. “Read it.”

Alex remained still. “Why?”

“It’s the lab results.”

“I just heard someone tell Hope the lab was still working.”

“Not the results from the contraband. These are the results of yesterday’s random drug screenings.” He opened the folder and pointed to the top of the first page. “The most interesting line is right here.”

Alex shrugged. “I don't see what's interesting about a bunch of clean results.”

“I would agree, but this one isn't clean.”

“Then it's wrong. A false positive.”

“Very well, you want me to spell it out? This report shows a positive test result, but the line for the subject's name is blank.”

Alex frowned. “Are you saying this is all a paperwork problem?”

“Cooperate, and it'll be your name on this report.”

“I’m sorry?”

“If you refuse, it'll be Hope's name.”

“Wha- _what?_ Is this reality?! What is going on?! What do you mean, my name or her name?”

“One of your international careers is over. Do the honorable thing, Ms. Morgan. Don’t make your friend take the bullet for you.”

 _“What are you talking about?!”_ Alex tried to stand, but the handcuff prevented her. She fell awkwardly back onto the chair.

The man stood. “I'll leave the report for you to read. When I come back, I expect a simple ‘yes’ or a simple ‘no’. Don't insult me by pretending ignorance.”

 _“About what?”_ Alex pleaded, on the verge of tears.

“One hour, Ms. Morgan.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter to follow this evening.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said i'd post it this evening, but why wait?

_Yosemite National Park, California, two years earlier._

_“Alex and Kelley, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.”_

Alex smiled and kissed Kelley again. “How have we not done this before?”

“How have we not gone camping before?” Kelley asked in reply. “Three years and we never climbed a tree together, either.”

“Three wonderful years. Still, yeah, it was about time!”

Kelley collected Alex's hand. “I want to talk about ‘and then comes marriage'.”

Alex smiled. “I want to listen.”

“If we get married, we don't have to announce it or change our names. Nobody we wouldn’t invite to the wedding would need to know.”

“You know it'll come out eventually.”

“I know.” Kelley sighed. “Alex, you know-”

“I know you'll never pressure me about coming out, but you prefer that we do,” Alex finished, smiling. “It would make some things easier, I agree. Kelley, when I’m ready, I will be jumping up and down to marry you.”

“Then what’s holding you up, babe?”

Alex looked away and wet her lips.

“I’m not asking so I can try to speed it up. I just nee- I want to hear that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, even if I can't see it yet.”

“Is that how you feel?” Alex asked. “Like there isn’t a light at the end?”

“No…” Kelley looked down at their hands. “It’s just...it's like we're working three jobs: pro football, being in a relationship, and hiding our relationship. I’m starting to wear on me.”

“Kell,” Alex said, and the change in her tone made her girlfriend twist fully around on the tree branch.

“What? Something serious?”

“There's something I need to tell you about before we go any further.”

“Okay.” Kelley gave her a gentle peck on the cheek. “Whatever you need, I'm with you.”

“Half the reason I suggested camping is so we could talk about this in complete privacy. It has to stay between us. Like, swear on a crate of Bibles never to even hint at it to anyone, ever. Not even me, unless we have this kind of absolute privacy.” She gestured at the forest.

“Geez.” Kelley sucked in her lips and swallowed before she answered. “I promise to take your secret to my grave. You have my complete trust, Alex.”

“I have a fourth job. I work for the CIA.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always welcome :)


	3. Chapter 3

There was a beat, while Kelley did nothing but stare, and then she let go of Alex's hand. Immediately, she grabbed it again, and her other hand. She dropped that one so she could rub her face.

“Say something,” Alex pleaded.

“Uh…holy shit. For real? Don't answer, sorry, I just can barely…the _CIA!”_

“Please don’t get in a habit of saying that out loud.”

“Holy…” Kelley rubbed her face again. “What can you tell me?”

Alex shook her head. “Literally nothing.”

“Jesus. Help me down, I need to sit on the ground.”

Alex eased Kelley onto the forest floor. “Kell, you look like I gave you a body blow, and it's breaking my heart.”

Kelley reached and twined her fingers with her lover's. “Without even getting into what your job means for us, I hate that there's a chunk of your life that I'm locked out of. I guess it's not personal, but it sucks.”

“You’re better off not knowing.”

“Is that why?”

Alex sighed. “If some foreign intelligence service catches on to me, they'll assume I told my wife what I do. If you're just my best friend, they won't target you.”

Kelley’s eyes widened. “Target how?”

“Surveillance. Spying on you.”

“Are you likely to be ‘targeted’ in any other ways?”

“No, absolutely not. What country would harm Alex Morgan? The worst they'd do to me is expose me.”

“Okay.” Kelley nodded to herself, twice. “I need some time. Alex, I need you to give me some space for a while. I know that’s not what you want right now, but it’s what I need, and I promise I’ll come back. You got it? I’m coming back.”

“Okay.”

Kelley locked eyes as she stood. “I’m. Coming. Back.” She turned and walked down the forest trail.

* * *

“Mr. President, Mr. Secretary, Mr. Ambassador.” The DCIA acknowledged each party on the secure call. “We are highly confident that the situation in Moscow is a counterintelligence operation. Alex Morgan is one of ours.”

The President cleared his throat. _“You’re telling me that my daughter’s idol is an agent of the CIA?”_

“Yes, sir. She operates as a courier between our overseas activities and the United States. She's been invaluable in obscuring our lines of communication.”

 _“What’s the risk to our ongoing activities, if the Russians have made her?”_ the Secretary of State asked.

“Low risk. All her exchanges were done anonymously, mostly by dead drop. We've also launched an investigation into how she was compromised.”

_“Risks due to exposure of her affiliation with the Agency?”_

“We’d prefer that the rest of the world not suspect that our athletes might be spies. We can't judge the impact on domestic public option.”

_“Can’t?”_

“I think we’re polling higher than the IRS this year,” said the DCIA drily, “but the public loves Morgan. It's anybody's guess whether our reputations will rise or fall.”

_“What about the risk to Alex herself?”_

“Morgan’s career would suffer if she became an international persona non grata. I don’t need to tell you the consequences if she’s arrested and charged with espionage.” The DCI sighed past the phone's handset. “Primarily, we judge that this is about embarrassing the U.S. If Morgan or Solo take the fall for doping, it'll be a huge blow to our moral standing.”

 _“My daughter would be devastated,”_ the President said to himself.

“The moral blow would hurt domestically, too, yes. On the other hand, if we defend them by publicly calling out the Russians, they’ll spin it as a victory for their intelligence service.”

 _“Which it already is,”_ the ambassador to Russia observed.

“But they'll have made us admit it, which their propaganda machine will shout from the rooftops. They’ll push the idea that Americans can’t be trusted, too, especially in Eastern Europe. Remember, few audiences outside the United States will look at her and see a person of strong values and character. They’ll see a spy.”

 _“It sounds like you’re saying we can be either cheaters or losers, but not winners,”_ the President said.

 _“What if we take the offensive?”_ The Secretary of State suggested. _“Could we acknowledge Morgan’s affiliation and shame the Russian government for framing her teammate? That’ll overshadow Morgan smuggling a few flash drives, won’t it?”_

“That’s possible, but they still have Morgan. If we acknowledge her, they'll use her popularity as bargaining power for something they want. Mr. President, do you want to be the man who refused a prisoner exchange for Alex Morgan?”

Nobody spoke.

Finally, the President asked, _“Am I the only one thinking about breaking her out?”_

The DCIA smiled to herself. “My Director of Operations is on his way to brief you on our extraction options.”

* * *

At their campsite, Alex looked up with hesitant, hopeful eyes. Kelley sat next to her and laid a hand on her leg. “I want in.”

“In?”

“The C- I mean, your fourth job. Hook me up.”

“Kelley, it doesn’t work like that.”

Kelley smirked. “Do it anyway?”

Alex set her features. “This is way more serious than-” a hand over her mouth cut her off.

“I’m dead serious,” Kelley insisted. “I don’t need to be an actual part of whatever it is you do, but I want to be on board.”

“What do you think that means?” Alex asked.

“I just want to-” Kelley frowned. “No, ‘just’ isn’t right. What I want is to be there for you. I get that we won’t be able to talk about it, but when I hug you, I want you to know that I know and I have your back.”

“You do know.”

“I want whatever training you got.”

“Oh.” Alex was silent. “I’ll ask.”

“Thank you.” Kelley smiled into Alex's eyes. “Alexandra Patricia, I love you. Finding out that there was a whole part of your life I didn’t know about – it was a shock. That’s all. I still know you, I still love you, and I'm still sticking with you like a remora.”

“What’s a remora?”

“You know, one of those fish with the suction cup thing on the back of its head. They stick to sharks and-”

Alex was incredulous. “There's a fish with a suction cup on its head?!”

Kelley laughed. “You are the dorkiest spy ever.”

Alex shrugged, smiling and happy. “You said it: I'm still me.”

Kelley slid one hand around Alex and skimmed the other over that place on her side that gave her goosebumps. “And I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Alex's eyes darkened. “You know, there’s another reason I wanted privacy…” 


	4. Chapter 4

At home after practice, Kelley’s phone rang. It said _‘Private Number’_. “Hello? This is Kelley.”

_“Is this Kelley O'Hara?”_

“Yes. Who is this?”

_“Just to confirm, are you currently within the United States?”_

“Yes.”

_“I’m with the Central Intelligence Agency. We want to bring you in for an interview.”_

* * *

Kelley’s phone vibrated. She looked down: _‘Black shoes. Brush envelope.’_

She deleted the text and looked up. Three men who didn't fit in were walking towards Coach Ellis. They wore bureaucratic-looking badges which read ‘DIPLOMAT’ in Russian and English below the seal of the United States. The first two had brown shoes. The third had black shoes. Kelley stood and moseyed over to join them in conversation with Ellis, Carli, Becky, and two other team staff. The embassy was arranging a flight for the team, a Brown Shoes said, since they'd missed theirs. The plane was in the U.S. diplomatic mission's leased hangar, so would the team please gather their belongings and come with them?

The response was a resounding ‘hell, no'. No way would the team go anywhere without Hope and Alex. This wrought consternation among the embassy men, and Black Shoes turned to make a phone call. Kelley stepped out of the circle as well, crossing his path on the way back to her teammates. The brush pass went perfectly. The envelope now in her pocket contained whatever the CIA thought she needed. Hopefully, it was enough.

* * *

“So, Kelley, why do you want to join the Central Intelligence Agency?”

Looking at her interviewers, Kelley’s words died on her lips. ‘Because Alex' wasn’t the way to start, she realized. She swallowed. “I want to have my girlfriend’s back as she serves our country.”

“Why not serve our country yourself?”

Kelley had anticipated that. “I see myself as doing that already, through soccer and the National Team. It's a different kind of service, but still. The reason I'm here is because I want to be Alex's backup. If anything ever goes wrong for her, I want the CIA to have someone right there already. The best way to guarantee that is to be that person.”

“What if things go wrong for both of you?”

“Things can’t go wrong for me if I don't do anything. What do they call it, a ‘sleeper agent'? I wouldn’t do whatever Alex does. I don't want to do anything which might draw attention to myself. I just want to wait in the wings in case she has an emergency.”

The agent on the right cocked her head. “To put it bluntly, you want us to invest our time and taxpayers' money in training a guardian angel for Alex, who she probably will never need, and who would be of no other use to the Agency?”

Kelley gulped. “Yes, but Alex would've told you that before you called me.”

The agent on the left nodded. “She told us you were pretty sharp, too. We've been exploring risk mitigation options for Alex for a while. Recruiting another team member was too risky, but you volunteered. Pending a security check on you, we'd like to move forward with your induction into the Agency.”

“I’m sharp, but I don't speak spy.”

“We want you to join the CIA.”

* * *

Kelley caught Becky’s eye and angled her head, hoping to suggest that Becky join her away from the others. Becky got the hint. “What’s up?”

“We need to talk.”


	5. Chapter 5

Kelley took public transportation to a nondescript office building on the edge of town. She found the right suite, gave the receptionist her name, and sat. In a moment, a door opened and Alex stepped through. “In here, Kell.” Kelley stood, smiling. “Don’t hug me until you’re through the scanner,” Alex added. “For appearances’ sake.”

Kelley followed her into a narrow connecting hall. “Where’s the scanner?”

“In the walls.” The hall opened into another room, where a man sat at a computer monitor. Kelley looked and saw a full-body scan of herself.

“Trust but verify, eh?”

Alex nodded. “Trust is good, but certainty is better. What if someone bugged your clothes without you knowing?”

Kelley turned and hugged her girlfriend. “You’re really intense, you know that?”

Alex smiled a small smile. “Are you surprised?”

Kelley smiled back. “A little, but I shouldn’t be.”

Alex gave her a peck on the lips. “We’re meeting in here.” She led Kelley through an open office door.

A tall, severe woman with gray hair stood from behind a desk and came to meet them. “Kelley O'Hara, I've heard a lot about you. I’m Amanda Juilliard.” She extended a hand and Kelley clasped it. “Welcome to our little home away from home. You’ll visit headquarters in Langley soon.” They sat. Juilliard opened a folder and handed a paper to Kelley. “This is your training syllabus – and I’ll be forthright with you, it’s abbreviated. From our perspective, you’re already in cover as a soccer player, and disrupting your professional routine would draw attention to you. We’re going to teach you the tradecraft you need for your specific mission and skip all the rest.”

Kelley read. The program might’ve been abbreviated, but it was not short. On her menu were secure communications methods, several languages, hand-to-hand combat… “Wow. What’s left to leave out?”

Alex rattled off a list: “Disguise, firearms, resistance to interrogation-”

_“What?”_ Kelley's jaw dropped.

Alex smirked humorlessly. “I’m torture-proof.”

Kelley clenched her lover's hand. “Jesus, Alex…”

”Kell, the best thing for us is for you to focus on you right now. Focus on being the best guardian angel ever and let me worry about me.”

“Easier said than – ah, we just need to go camping again. Alright,” Kelley said to their handler, “What’s step one?”

“Step one is to get you a code name.”

Kelley’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“We need a secure way to talk about you.” Their handler picked up a phone and tapped numbers. “Yes, this is Juilliard. I need a word.” She waited.

Alex grinned to Kelley. “I’m officially ‘pontoon’.” Kelley laughed.

“Alright, Kelley,” Juilliard said, “you are now ‘nutmeg’.”

Kelley grinned. “Sweet. That's perfect.”

The woman frowned. “Why, does that mean something?”

“It’s when you kick the ball through someone’s legs.”

“Oh. You’re right.” She dialed the number again. “’Nutmeg’ won’t work. Release it and give me a new word.” Kelley's new name was OATMEAL.

* * *

Kelley caught Becky’s eye and angled her head, hoping to suggest that Becky join her away from the others. Becky got the hint. “What’s up?”

“We need to talk. Come with me.”

“Where?”

“Don’t talk. Come with me.” She tried not to look relieved when Becky acquiesced. “We’re going to the bathroom,” she said in a low voice. “When we go in, you’re going to the last open stall. I'm going to a sink and using the mirror, then getting in with you. This isn’t a game. Repeat that all back to me.” Becky did, and then did it perfectly. Huddled in the airport bathroom stall, Kelley opened the envelope. The packets inside bore numbers. Kelley opened packet one, removed a thumb drive, and located a hidden switch. A red LED lit, then turned green. “It’s a jammer,” she murmured in explanation. “We can talk, quietly.”

Becky stared. “What the hell is all this?”

“Alex is CIA. Russian counterintelligence framed Hope to put pressure on her. We're getting them both out.”

“Alex is _what?”_

“She’s a spy, Hope is a pawn, and we don't have time for ‘twenty questions'. Open this.” She shoved packet number two at Becky and opened the third one herself.

“A little magnifying glass?” Becky stared at the plastic lens from her packet.

“For microfilm. Trade you for packet four.” Kelley took the lens and began reading the filmstrip from packet three.

“This one's got strips of different things.”

“Says here, that's a kit to break handcuffs.”

“Wha- ‘kay, look, Kelley. I’m in over my head. Work with me, here.”

“Okay. First, Hope and Alex don't do drugs.”

“I know that.”

“Alex is a courier for the CIA.”

“Baby horse?”

“Just accept it. The Russians found her out and want to burn her by ending her career.”

“Unbelievable.”

“We need to get them both out of here.”

“We? As in, the two of us?”

“Yes. The one thing we have going for us is that they have to maintain the charade that this is only a drug investigation, so Alex and Hope are still here at the airport. There’s minimal overt security.”

“Then what about, um, not overt?”

“Let's just assume everyone within one hundred feet of them is a counterintelligence agent.”

Becky eyed her teammate. “Hearing you use words like ‘overt’ and ‘counterintelligence’ is kinda freaking me out, Kelley.”

“Get your head in the game,” Kelley snapped. “You and I are going to jailbreak Alex and Hope. Get over yourself.” She held out the lens and film. “Memorize this map.”

Becky took them under protest. “I'm just gonna follow you.”

“No, we'll probably have to split up to get both of them. We won't have time to get one and then the other, and I can't be in two places at once. That's why you're here. You need to know your way out.”

“But what about guards?”

“When we run into them, play dumb. We got lost. You'll have the jammer on so they can't report in.”

“Okay, but then what?”

Kelley bit her lip. “I knock them unconscious.”

Becky goggled. “Seriously?!”

“Nobody’s gonna talk their way in to see Alex and Hope and get them out. The hard way is our only way. The security cameras will be hacked, so we'll have a little time.”

“Are you sure the cameras will be hacked? Won't they notice?”

“No. It's the CIA. They'll be hacked.”


End file.
